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Nonviolence insights. Eng 102 – 2/24/2014. Martin, Brian. “Nonviolence Insights.” Social Alternatives 23.2 (2004): 70-76. . Personal/psychological. Start with inner peace Be aware of oneself Emotions Violence. Realistic hopes. Don’t expect immediate change
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Nonviolence insights Eng 102 – 2/24/2014 Martin, Brian. “Nonviolence Insights.” Social Alternatives 23.2 (2004): 70-76.
Personal/psychological • Start with inner peace • Be aware of oneself • Emotions • Violence
Realistic hopes • Don’t expect immediate change • Be content with what you can do • “Wisdom is gained from being detached from the results and having faith”
Emotional distance • Don’t let emotions take over • Stay out of power roles
Daily nonviolence • Micro measures • Riding a bike, buying organic, etc.
education • Tell people about alternatives • Start young and use nonviolence in parenting • Be practical – use examples • Schools • Learn from examples (Gandhi, ThichNhatHanh, King, etc.) • Communicate in terms that others can accept • Make it personally relevant
“Education in social skills for nonviolence should be a routine part of school curriculums, rather than people only responding to violence when there is a crisis” (72)
movements • Keep the movement nonviolent • Use everybody and everything • Direct action rather than lobbying • Strategy • Public relations, fund raising • The 4 S’s: • Spirit – commitment to goal and each other • Science – understanding theory and dynamics of political action • Skill – training in how to react nonviolently • Song – the full range of artistic and creative expression
Cultural context • Strategies are culture-dependent • No good guys and bad guys • Don’t look at people as bad, look at the system as bad / hate the sin not the sinner • Avoid dichotomies
A global perspective http://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/movements-and-campaigns/movements-and-campaigns-summaries
Where have there been nonviolent movements? • Aceh, Argentina, Chile, China, Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Gambia, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Iran, Mali, Pakistan, Poland, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, United States, West Papua, Zimbabwe
Ongoing movements • Columbia: Since 1990 - Opposing violent insurgents, social violence, and a corrupt state • Guatemala: Seeking change against unconsolidated and restrictive gov’t that creates extreme poverty, racism, authoritarianism, and exclusion • Guinea: Since 1958 - despite these dire economic conditions and a history of dictatorship, Guineans have repeatedly mobilized grassroots civil resistance and this, combined with international pressure, overturned the 2008 Camara dictatorship and led to a new plan for multi-party elections to take place in June 2010. • Senegal: Since 1974 – seeking change against Socialist Party and growing economic inequalities • United States: Since 2004 - protecting undocumented immigrants from discrimination and labor exploitation, advocating for legislation